After the Cannon Fodder A Accidentally Marked the Paranoid Female Lead - Chapter 15

“Where is Team Leader Huo Qi?”

In the office, Ming Sian asked curiously. Huo Qi had been studying abroad, was also a law graduate, and was very capable. If the three of them cooperated, the work should finish much faster.

He Yining’s calm eyes turned cold, as if Ming Sian had said something wrong.

She couldn’t be annoyed just because I asked one extra question, could she?

Ming Sian lowered her eyes and placed the ten-yuan set meal in front of He Yining. The Eldest Miss probably hadn’t had such cheap coffee in her entire life.

“Breakfast.”

He Yining raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking at the breakfast before her with a hint of helplessness.

Seeing that He Yining didn’t speak, Ming Sian pointed to the other breakfast set. “I have mine.”

She indicated that she had bought two portions. As for the cup of coffee from before, she had already finished it on the walk to the Law Library.

Therefore, it looked as if she had specifically brought a breakfast for both herself and He Yining.

He Yining pushed the breakfast back. “I’ve already eaten.”

She didn’t have the habit of eating breakfast. At home, the domestic helper would prepare juice, milk, coffee, and so on. That morning, she had casually finished a glass of vegetable and fruit juice, but smelling the aroma of the bread, she actually felt a hollow sensation in her stomach.

“Then have the coffee; it’s hot.”

The weather was gradually turning cold, and the suit Ming Sian wore had become thicker.

When she ran her own studio, her attire was quite casual except for formal occasions. Hong Kong was different; as far as her colleagues at Anning were concerned, everyone dressed relatively professionally. This was fine by her; she didn’t have high requirements for clothing. A few suits to ensure she didn’t repeat an outfit within a week was enough. Besides, her dormitory was so small it couldn’t fit many clothes anyway. She was just an intern; dressing decently and slightly formal was sufficient.

He Yining, on the other hand, was dressed rather thinly: a high-neck white blouse tucked into high-waisted light gray wide-leg suit trousers, paired with high heels. An exquisite handbag sat by the table; she was professional, proper, yet fashionable.

Beside a woman in high heels, Ming Sian’s white sneakers looked somewhat childish.

With a desk separating the two of them, before even sitting down, Ming Sian couldn’t help but marvel inwardly: She smells so good!

Beautiful women were always fragrant; one could smell a charming scent from ten meters away, let alone now when they were so close. The cold fragrance lingered around her nose, making one feel intoxicated.

He Yining didn’t push the coffee back again. Today was overcast and looked like it might rain. She had refused the coat her domestic helper offered when she left, and now she felt a bit chilly.

“Let’s start working.”

To hide the fact that she hadn’t refused the coffee again, she immediately brought up work.

They could check the materials in the Law Library at any time; it was much richer than the firm. The reason she chose to work outside was that she didn’t want people to know who her assistant was. It was impossible for Anning Law Firm not to have He Chenzhang’s spies.

She chose Ming Sian because Ming Sian didn’t have to clock in at the firm every day, making her a suitable partner.

Based on her understanding of her cousin, he would do anything to win. Ming Sian had already entered the sight of some members of the He family; entering it again wouldn’t matter much. It was a good chance to see who would strike first.

Moreover, Ming Sian was inherently a special person. If she truly turned out to be like the person in her dreams, she might not be a bad choice.

Ming Sian opened her laptop and looked up. Just as she was about to ask about today’s tasks, she saw He Yining’s stunning face clouded with thought. Her face, focused in serious reflection, was breathtakingly beautiful. Anyone unaware of how dangerous she was would likely only think of how to make her gaze linger for a moment.

With just one look, Ming Sian began to blush. In the enclosed space with only the two of them, the memory of that alluring red dress from the other day surfaced. Because they were alone, she actually became nervous, her heart rate accelerating.

He Yining, focused on work, was expressionless—there was only an endless cold silence. Though they occupied the same space, they seemed to be in two different worlds.

Ming Sian withdrew her gaze and began typing on her laptop.

As they worked, they exchanged a few words from time to time. When the discussion grew deep, neither hid the appreciation in their eyes for the other.

Ming Sian would also step out of the office to find relevant legal books, which was very convenient, though her step count for the day was definitely exceeding the limit.

Time passed minute by minute. Sunlight spilled through the window onto He Yining, bringing a touch of warmth to the cool weather. She reached out and picked up the coffee next to her. Only when the cup reached her lips did she realize she had refused it earlier.

Putting it down now would seem redundant, so she took a quiet sip and then set it down. Her gaze swept over Ming Sian with feigned nonchalance. Seeing that the girl’s eyes remained fixed on the computer screen, she finally felt relieved.

Ming Sian, of course, noticed He Yining’s little movement. A subtle smile played on her lips; someone unaware would think she was simply satisfied with her work.

Actually, the Eldest Miss was quite cute—professional and excellent. If not for their fated entanglement, she would have been very willing to be friends with her, or at least be colleagues who respected each other.

The Eldest Miss was beautiful, highly capable, and had a tiny bit of an “o-jou-sama” pride that wasn’t annoying but rather quite endearing. It was just that she couldn’t afford to provoke a paranoid female lead; that would cost her her life.

Ming Sian bowed her head, seemingly focused on work, but in reality, she had finished everything she needed to write. She couldn’t directly tell He Yining the key to winning the case, or she’d have no way to explain how she knew.

She was calculating the amount needed to “redeem” herself on her computer. Two million—it was so much. When would she ever earn that much money?

Don’t look at her current monthly salary; even after adding the part-time bar wages, it should be decent, but what kind of place was Hong Kong? The cost of living was excessively high. To earn two million in a short time, she had to find another way.

Earning money… She had written books in her previous life: legal practice guides and case compilations. She had written popular law books, though they didn’t sell many copies. Each had taken a long time and a lot of effort. But she was already somewhat famous back then, so people were willing to publish her; now, she was just an intern.

Oh, there was one more—her only legal workplace novel. She wrote it to earn living expenses while studying. That was the only time she had to write fiction. It had even been adapted into a TV drama, but she hadn’t seen what the adaptation looked like before she arrived in this world.

The copyrights of this world didn’t conflict with her original world, but she couldn’t bring herself to be a “plagiarist.” She couldn’t take someone else’s work and call it her own; it was better to create honestly.

She had handled many cases; she could write suspense, mystery, or workplace stories—or stories about vulnerable groups defending their rights.

Soon, she decided on the plot: a rural woman encounters obstacles starting a business and hires a female pro-bono lawyer to protect her rights. The two work together in a small town to carve out a world for themselves.

Many people don’t know that the legal circle has internal journals. Legal-related books and novels can be submitted internally. Many legal dramas in this world are supported by these internal journals. It’s much better than submitting directly to web platforms; in terms of audience, a subject like hers would definitely flop on the internet.

The legal circle also had some original columns with a very stable audience.

Ming Sian typed a few words on her computer: The Trial Begins.

“Ming Sian,” He Yining suddenly called her.

“Huh?”

She looked up subconsciously, suddenly realizing she had been slacking off for a while. “What’s wrong?”

“Finished writing?” He Yining had also finished her work.

Ming Sian nodded. “I’ll send it to you.”

She sent the file over, and it showed as “Received” the next second.

After a long while, He Yining nodded. “Well written.”

The problem they faced now was insufficient evidence, and even though they knew the client held evidence, she refused to cooperate.

The two were silent for a moment. He Yining stood up. “What do you want to eat?”

“?” Ming Sian realized He Yining was offering to treat her to a meal. “No need, I’ll just eat at the cafeteria.”

He Yining tossed the empty coffee cup into the trash. “I drank your coffee.”

She didn’t like owing others, even though the taste of the coffee couldn’t be called good.

Ming Sian thought for a moment. “Anything is fine.”

She had no specific requirements for food; as long as it wasn’t bad and could fill her stomach, it was fine.

She didn’t need to continue working in the afternoon; she planned to go back to the dorm to rest. Today was Saturday, and she had to go to her part-time bar job half an hour earlier than usual. Since she only slept three hours last night, she needed to catch up on sleep.

He Yining didn’t ask further about what she wanted to eat. She had graduated from Hong Kong University and knew the nearby delicacies very well.

Just as the two stepped out of the library, a gentle voice rang out behind them: “Fia.”

He Yining stopped in her tracks. Ming Sian looked at her in confusion, realizing the name “Fia” was addressed to He Yining.

She stiffened her body, not intending to turn around. Seeing He Yining turn, she followed suit. After all, when you don’t know the situation, it’s best to stay still to handle all changes.

She could feel a cold aura gathering around He Yining at an incredible speed. She looked over from the corner of her eye, and what met her gaze was an endless cold desolation and deep disgust.

Oh no, looks like I’m about to witness some drama involving the female lead. Could this become one of the reasons the female lead decides to finish me off?

Ming Sian blinked her eyes: Is it too late to leave now?

[Author’s Note]

Ming Sian: Crap, I’m about to witness He Yining’s drama (covers eyes but peeks through fingers).

He Yining: Might as well just take Ming Sian out.